Steady and Nonsteady Seepage Flow Analysis for the Yangtze Embankment due to Bridge Construction

Seepage failure is the main failure mode in the embankment of rivers during the flood period. In order to evaluate the safety of embankment, to predict the form and location of the failure and to give referential instruction of reinforcement of the dyke, it is very important in theory and practice to study the seepage field of the embankment during the flood period. The distribution of seepage field in the embankment may be changed as bridge piers are built nearby. To ensure the stability and long-term safety of the embankment, it is essential to estimate the seepage stability before and after the construction of the bridge piers. In this paper, with the steady and unsteady seepage methods, comparative analysis was performed to estimate the influence of bridge piers on the seepage field of the embankment. The computed results show that the construction of the bridge has little influence on the seepage field and the stability of the embankment will not deteriorate after the construction of bridge foundation, even in the extreme condition of a sudden drawdown of water level.